Encoded information reading (EIR) terminals equipped with wireless communication interfaces are widely used in retail stores, shipping facilities, etc. While wireless communication of EIR terminals with host computers offer many advantages as compared to wired communications, traditional wireless networks have noticeable shortcomings, including connectivity and network throughput related issues, as well as the high cost of the wireless infrastructure. In an attempt to alleviate the connectivity related issues, the prior art teaches that a wireless device (e.g., an EIR terminal) can operate either in the infrastructure mode (e.g., by acting as a wireless access point (AP), or by associating to a wireless AP), or in the ad-hoc mode (e.g., by establishing one or more links to peer wireless devices). However, an EIR terminal operating in the infrastructure mode is not capable of establishing ad-hoc mode links to peer EIR terminals, nor is an EIR terminal operating in an ad-hoc mode capable of establishing infrastructure mode links to a wireless AP or portal.
Accordingly, there is a need for further advances in EIR terminals and systems which would alleviate the connectivity problems.